October 2012 Activities Summary

The clocks have been changed and although the evenings are getting darker earlier and we don’t like it too much everyone is nice and cosy at Valerie Manor looking forward to everything that we have planned for the next couple of months of 2012 !

October saw us enjoying some 1940’s music, a Beatles Video and Quiz to celebrate John Lennon’s birthday who was born on 9th October 1940, the music of Al Jolson who passed away on 23rd October 1950. We also had a Musical Quiz. Still thinking hard we planned a day’s Menu, and enjoyed Sensory Identification…Touch…and were quizzed on Expletives Deleted.

Physically we played Shove Ha-penny, Tin Can Alley and Balls in the Box along with our usual Exercise from our Chair. We also had our monthly visit by Claire for our B Balanced Session. Never a dull moment at Valerie Manor for those who want to take part.

Two themed days were enjoyed……Oktoberfest……with a decorated dining room and German Music and Halloween again with a decorated dining room and lots of ‘spooky’ goodies along with Musical Witches Hat. We decided to leave the decorations up for 1st November when we are having our firework display.

One Monday morning when we were exercising I looked down at my feet and noticed……much to my disgust……that my shoes were really dirty and scuffed ! I was quite ashamed and it made me think of my dad who I always remember as having shiny shoes ! That triggered off the Reminiscence Session…..What do you remember about your parents ?

One gentleman remembers his dad always whistling and his mum singing hymns, somebody else remembers her dad being called George William and her mum Winifred. They were both in the Fire Service in the war. Another memory was of his dad playing cricket for the County and his mum being a busy housewife. Mary and Samuel were another mum and dad the latter enjoying cycling. Elizabeth, better known as Lizzie and William, better known as Bill were the parents of another lady. She remembers her mother very busy making the children’s clothes and her father smoking Woodbine Cigarettes which were 2 1/2 pennies a packet. Another lady remembered her dad always smiling and also smoking Woodbines…his name was William, her mum’s name was Eliza. Another gentleman who lived in South Africa as a child had parents called Harold and Mary.

The saddest story was of one lady whose father, Harry, who was a Chaplain in the 1st World War never got to see his daughter as he was killed before she was born. However she had a lovely mother, Hettie who was a teacher and used to run craft classes from home. Our lovely lady said she used to get into trouble dabbling with the water that the canes for the weaving were being soaked in ! I really enjoy these Reminiscence Sessions as it makes me remember too often with a tear in my eye !